Table of contents
Book One — Still a Villager
Chapter One — Amazi and His Father
Chapter Two — Peace
Chapter Three — Amazi in Chains
Book Two — The Kingdom, Part One
Chapter 1 — The Kingdom → Mmiri Ball / Omaliko / Ndukaku
Chapter 2 — The Queen → New Yam Festival preparation / Zeannette
Chapter 3 — Nnaanyiézè and Zeannette → Diamond Roads / Eze Garden
Chapter 4 — The Ézè Diamond Garden → Harvest celebration
Chapter 5 — The Village → New Yam Festival / Eze / village chiefs
Chapter 6 — The Igbo Trial → Problem emerging in the Kingdom
Chapter 7 — The Igbo Trial → Chiefs / remedy / Amazi's return
Book Two, Part Two — The Seven Rivers Resort
Chapter 2 — Nji and the Seven Rivers
Chapter 3 — Lounging
Chapter 4 — Amazi
Chapter 5 — Zeannette's Classroom
Chapter 6 — John's Law Office
Still A Villager.
Chapter One. Act One.
(Amazi and his Father)
In Anambra, eastern Nigeria, a boy named Amazi grows up believing the world beyond his village is waiting for him. You probably have never heard of Amazi because Amazi never knew the outside world. He was the type to envy the “normal” kids who lived on the other side of the city. Not like the bad type of envy. The good type. Amazi was strong. Restless. Fearless in the places where other children were afraid to go. Amazi was waiting for a hero. Amazi wanted emancipation from the endless hardships of the village. Amazi was raised in a large family by his father and mother, and his Uncle was always nearby.
Amazi’s father, Amadi, had been a soldier during the civil war that began on July 6, 1967, and lasted three years and six months, ending in January 1970.
Amazi’s father, Amadi brought war home with him not in weapons, but in discipline.
Amazi's father ruled the household—and even parts of the village—with an iron conscience. Amadi vowed that all his children must be successful. Amadi felt it was his duty to lead by example and forge their minds into metal: strong, and unbending, filled with courage, willpower, and strength.
Amazi saw that this love came with pain. Whenever Amazi's mind wandered into his usual daydreams, Amazi would be snapped back to reality with his fathers call.
Amadi: “This generation doesn’t want to work hard!” he would yell.
“All you children do is eat. After you eat, you play. After you play. You dream. After you dream….
Amazi's father yawns.
“…you sleep!”
Amazi's father starts to fall asleep on the couch.
Then Amadi wakes up.
Amazi’s father starts to remember his own father.
Amadi says “Nna, Go fetch water!”
(Nna means Father in Igbo. Pronounced UunnNa without the U sound.)
Amadi: “These goats are eating the october beans!”
Amazi didn't know it yet, but the world beyond the road where the goats ate was coming for him.
And it would take almost everything he had.
Act 2.
Amazi's Uncle is Munachi Nkanu. Munachi is a man with a strong spirit that loves Amazi very much. Through thick and thin, Munachi Nkanu is always there for Amazi, who is nicknamed Dogmeat, sitting with The King of Benin, the king of Benin. The King of Benin was a round and bustling human being. On this day he wore a white top garment adorned with big beads and a mud toned wrapper. The King of Benin comes to meet with Munachi, the dungeon slaver. They speak about Amadi, Amazi’s fathers whereabouts.
The King of Benin and Dogmeat are sitting on brown wooden chairs at a round table.
Dogmeat looks around as if a curse loomed in the room.
“After Amazi’s father died - what an unfathomable loss by the way.”
“Nonsense.”
“I had to pick up where Amadi left off.”
Dogmeat and The King of Benin continue speaking.
The King of Benin: “Dogmeat is not the usual name. Your brother told me once how you got the name. Can you remind me?”
The King of Benin and Dogmeat sit on a brown wooden chair at a round-table.
Dogmeat: “My brother, Amadi must have told you the story.”
Their drinks go untouched as they talk to one another.
Dogmeat: “One night, me and my father were delivering horse saddles. When we started heading home, our horse was attacked and bit by a wild dog and my father shot the dog.
I looked up and said,
Dogmeat: “Dad, we should cook the dog.”
Dogmeat's father, Amani, laughed,
“Jump back on the horse. I’ll catch you if you fall.”
Amani: “Dogmeat! So you would like to eat this dog?”
From that day, the name Dogmeat stuck with Munachi Nkanu, Amadi's brother, Amazi's uncle.
“My Father and I continued to travel to many countries.”
The King of Benin: “You will come work for me in Badagry.”
Dogmeat: “Ok. Sir.”
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